The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-01-14
But Mr Merlin said ~oGood-day," and,
politely raising his lat, disappeared.

III.
It was the third anniversary OF David
Governs murder, and just such another even
ing-chill, wet, gusty and gloomy. DR.. Ford
sat alone over the bright fire in his study. A
book Law on his lap, but he was not reading.
He was gazing ~intently into the glowing fire
that unfailing inspirer Of dreamy reflection
and thinking Of a woman.
DR.. Ford had married early in life, and had
soon become a widower. Solitary he had re-
NAMED ever since-long lonely years he had
gone through until middle age came and
found him still lonely. He told people he was
welded to his profession, but some time be-
fore this night he had awakened to the fact
of how cold and cherries a wife she was. For
a living, vital, absorbing love grew into bis
life. The seeds were sown when he first met
Mrs. Cowen. Fer beauty, her tragic sorrow,
aud her touching faith in the death, all i'm
pressed him profoundly. A friendship grew
up between them, which on his part developed
into love. He asked Mrs. Cowen to be his
wife, and her answer threw him into despair.
II was not that she was unable to return his
feelings; but the mystery of her husbands
death stood between them. She declared that
while that mystery remained unsolVed her
mind could know no peace, her thoughts
must dwell even in the past. That being so,
TO marry the doctor would have been to him a
grieyous wrong.
Sharing, as he did, her conviction that
David Cowen had been murdered, DR.. Ford
had no arguments with which to shake this
decision, the justice Of which he could not
but acknowledge. Feeling, too, the hopeless
ness of the mystery being cleared up, he des-
paired. He was thinking mourufully Of these
things, when a servant entered and presented a
card. 1t bore the name of Jules Merlin.
Merlin, Merlin" muttered the doctor.
''The name seemed familiar enough. Show
the gentleman up, please"
When DR.. Ford saw Mr.. Merlin he remem-
bered him, for be was not a man to forget a
face he had once seen, and Mr.. Merlin's face
was one not readily forgotten. Three years
had wrought a change in ii, however. 1t had
grown thinner and more sallow. The features
were startling in their distinctness; the eyes
hollow and rowing, and the lips painfully rest
less. Mr.. Merlin looked Ill, not passingly so,
but organically. He looked as though some
internal disease was slowly but surely consum
ing him. So the doctor thought after u quick
but comprehensive glance at his visitor.
What can 1 do for you, Mr.. Merlln2" he
asked, after they had shaken hands.
Nothing, thank you, doctor. My visit is
not a professional one"
No! Pardon me, but as you are looking
out of sorts, 1 thought"
Mr.. Merlin laughed strangely.
"You thought | had come for advice" he
interrupted. mo. NV visit is simply a
friendly one. To tell you the truth, l was
never better in my life"
''Then I pity you,' thought the doctor.
w Merlins are queer folk" continued the
visitor, drawing his chair to the fire as if cold.
sour looks always pity us. We are thin to
emaciation, and ssllow to yellowness. But the
thinner and yellower we are the better we feel.
The worse we look the better we are. Strange,
isn't it?' Mr.. Merlin was evidently jesting,
but the effect was not pleasant. His voice
was high pitched and somewhat grating, and
there was no humor in the hard smile on his
lips.
The doctor, having placed wine and cigars
on the table, made a few remarks on topics of
general interest. But his visitor made no re-
ply; he had sunk into a restless silence.
Presently he moved his chair from the fire,
and sitting against the table, drank a glass OF
wine.
TRY a cigar" said the doctor. ''These
were sent me by a friend in Havana
Sand you never proved the truth Of your
theory ~ remarked Mr.. Merlin suddenly, and
taking no notice of his hosts invitation.
sWhat theoryi'
Concerning the death of that man in the
Underground Railway DR.. Ford was start
led at this sudden broaching of a subject that
lay so near his heart.
s~Irequired no proof" he replied slowly. ga
murder was undoubtedly done. I would will
ingly give some years of my life to be able to
lay my hand on the guilty man., he added,
h alf to himself.
Mr.. Merlin rose and walked the room. 'It
was an interesting CASE he said. "Itfasten-
ed upon me. 1t has never left me night or
day. So profoundly mysterious; 50 extraordi-
nary in every way! If Cowen did not strike
the blow, who didl / have asked myself ten
thousand ines. And, more interesting ques-
tion stin, how did the man escape? I have
pictured the scene. have been in the car
riage with the two men. / have seen the blow
struck. have heard the dying gasp of the
victim, and watched him as the death-look
flooded his eyes. l hear the gasp now, and
see the eyesr' Merlin paused with hands out
stretched and breathed heavily. His excite
ment was remarkable, and he had spoken as
though he had no audience. The doctor
watched him with intense interest, and not
without some uneasiness. He thought that
the mans mind had been unhinged by dwell
ing upon that one terrible subject.
You should not permit yourself to get so
excited, . he said gently.
Then | have followed the murderer in his
escape" pursued Merlin. ssNot a detail has
been overlooked. / have forged and connect